My invention deals with a new process and device for the measuring of impurities such as biologicals in the breathing atmosphere.
The one known prior art process and device for the measurement of biologicals has proven inaccurate and has been discarded for that reason. It comprised a process of measuring the reactive material in the measured medium by measuring light intensity thereof. This is done by mixing chemiluminescent chemicals and oxidizers with the medium to be measured. Then a photo tube is used to measure the light intensity. In other words, the presence of microbiological organisms or other matter is detectable but discernment stops there. A need has existed for the detection of specific materials, however, until my invention, this end has not been met.
It has been known since 1928 (Albricht) about the chemiluminescence of luminol (5 amino 2-3 dehydro - 1-4 phthalazinedione). The slow luminescence induced by hydrogen peroxide can be increased by a catalytic agent such as heme. Heme is the iron containing porphyrin molecule found in both animal and plant cells. It is also the pigmented oxygen carrying part of hemoglobin. Hence, if some common ingredient like heme is present in all proteinaceous material, it provides an excellent base for the detection of bacteria and viruses. This is done by the use of chemiluminsecent reaction. It should be noted that although heme is not theoretically present in pure virus, it is present in virus-containing substrate which generally consist of animal tissue. Henfeld et al article from Analytical Biochemistry, Vol. 12, No. 2, of August 1965 by Academic Press, Inc. has demonstrated that the intensity of the luminescence is a fuction of the concentration of the heme catalyst. He has suggested and used this method in the detection of heme-containing materials.
One aspect of my invention is that I have found that for different materials the intensity versus time for chemiluminescent reaction curves is different. This has opened up the new era of separating materials into groups, i.e., all those materials displaying substantially the same reaction curve are grouped together. Hence, I have been able to discern undetectable substances heretofore never singled out or noted with the use of chemiluminescence.
Briefly, my invention involves a new device and process for measuring the presences of biologicals and similar impurities in the atmosphere. I use the chemiluminescence reaction and measure luminescence versus time. I use an alkaline solution of luminol, an oxidant and a catalyst. I cause the luminol and sodium perborate to be mixed together, pick up a sample containing heme as aforesaid and carry the sample by way of a water carrier to the aforementioned mixed ingredients. Then I mix all components thereof and monitor the light intensity and the duration of such intensity and plot a curve thereof. Once I've sampled and plotted numerous known materials by way of lumination versus time then to detect an unknown, I need only compare the plot to prior curves.
It is therefor an object of my invention to detect materials in the atmosphere by the use of a chemiluminescent reaction and an intensity versus time measurement thereof.
A further object of my invention is to detect materials in the atmosphere with a process and apparatus using a chemiluminescent reaction and an intensity versus time measurement thereof.
Another object of my invention is to detect proteinaceous material in the atmosphere with a process and appparatus using chemiluminescent reaction and an intensity versus time measurement thereof.
Other objects and advantages of my invention will occur to one skilled in the art as he peruses the following description and drawings.